Wegovy® Pill

Wegovy tablets and injections both contain semaglutide and work in the same way. The main differences are:

• How you take it: A daily tablet instead of a weekly injection. No needles needed.
• How often: Once a day (tablet) compared to once a week (injection).
• Storage: Tablets are stored at room temperature. Injections need to be kept in the refrigerator.
• Absorption: Because the tablet is absorbed through your digestive system, it needs to be taken on an empty stomach with specific timing. The injection is absorbed more predictably under the skin.
• Efficacy: In clinical trials, the Wegovy tablet (25mg) achieved an average weight loss of 16.6% over 64 weeks. The Wegovy injection achieved 16.9% at the standard 2.4mg dose over 68 weeks, and 20.7% at the higher 7.2mg dose over 72 weeks. These figures come from separate trials in different populations and are not a direct head-to-head comparison.

Some people prefer a daily tablet. Others prefer a weekly injection. Your clinician can help you decide what works best for you.

You’ll start on the lowest dose of 1.5mg, taken once a day. From there, your dose can increase every 30 days. The schedule is:

• Days 1–30: 1.5mg once daily
• Days 31–60: 4mg once daily
• Days 61–90: 9mg once daily
• Days 91 and onward: 25mg once daily (maintenance dose)

Your clinician will review your progress at each step and confirm the right dose for you. This gradual increase helps your body adjust and reduces the chance of side effects. Some people stay on a lower dose for longer, and that’s completely fine.

The full treatment effect is usually seen at the maintenance dose of 25mg. We also keep lifestyle front of mind. Finding your rhythm with food, movement and rest is just as important as finding the right dose.

The goal is simple: a balance that helps you feel well, manage side effects and make steady, sustainable progress.

We’re here to support you throughout your weight loss journey, offering tips to help you manage side effects and providing reassurance if you have any concerns.

Side effects tend to be more noticeable when you first start and when your dose increases. They usually improve as your body adjusts.

Very common side effects of oral Wegovy (semaglutide) include stomach upsets like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. You might also experience stomach pain, headaches and fatigue. Headaches and mild stomach problems, which are common, can usually be managed with over-the-counter remedies. To ease nausea, you can try stepping outside for fresh air, sipping cold drinks and eating smaller meals more often.

Less common side effects, affecting fewer than 1 in 100 people, may include a faster heart rate, low blood sugar (also known as hypoglycaemia), kidney stones and pancreatitis.

Rare side effects, occurring in fewer than 1 in 1,000 people, may involve a serious allergic reaction (also known as anaphylaxis) and angioedema, which is a type of swelling beneath the skin that can affect the face, lips, tongue or throat.

For rare, severe or worsening symptoms, we recommend you seek professional medical advice.

Keep an eye on how you feel and report any side effects that do not go away or get worse. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience difficulty breathing, swelling or severe stomach pain.

If you have any questions about side effects or how to manage them, we’re here to support you.

Wegovy Pill can interact with other medicines. Always tell your prescriber about everything you’re taking, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements.

Full details of medicine interactions are listed in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL), which you should read before starting treatment.

In a 64-week clinical trial, people taking oral Wegovy 25mg lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight.

This means that someone who weighs 100kg could lose around 16.6kg on average in 64 weeks (just over 1 year). This is an example only. It is not a prediction of individual results.³

Around 3 in 10 people in the trial lost 20% or more of their body weight.

Weight loss is gradual and varies between individuals. Some people notice appetite changes within the first few weeks, with more noticeable weight loss typically occurring over time as your dose increases.

If you’ve been taking oral Wegovy consistently for several months and feel you are not seeing the results you were hoping for, reach out to us. Our clinicians can review whether the treatment is right for you or whether an injectable GLP-1 treatment might better support your goals.

No. On average, injectable treatments have shown higher weight loss results in clinical trials.

In separate studies of adults with obesity or overweight, Wegovy Pill resulted in an average weight loss of 16.6% over 64 weeks³, compared to 20.7% with injectable Wegovy at the highest 7.2mg dose over 72 weeks². Mounjaro (tirzepatide 15mg) has shown an average weight loss of 22.5% in 72 weeks¹.

These figures come from different trials in different populations, so they’re not a direct comparison, but they do suggest that injectable treatments can produce greater weight loss, on average.

However, the best treatment is the one you can stick to consistently and long term. For people who find injections a barrier to starting or continuing treatment, Wegovy Pill can be a highly effective option, and some patients on oral Wegovy do achieve weight loss comparable to injectable treatments.

Wegovy tablets are taken once a day, every morning. To make sure the medication is absorbed properly, here’s how to take it:

• Take the tablet first thing when you wake up, on an empty stomach
• Swallow it whole with a small sip of plain water (no more than 120ml)
• Wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything else or taking other oral medications
• Do not split, crush or chew the tablet

The tablets can be stored at room temperature. There’s no need for refrigeration.

Potentially, yes. But, it’s worth understanding what switching would mean for you before making a decision.

The Wegovy pen and Wegovy Pill have shown different average weight loss results in clinical trials. In separate studies, adults with obesity or overweight lost 20.7% of their starting body weight after 72 weeks of injectable Wegovy² (semaglutide 7.2mg) treatment, and 16.6% after 64 weeks of Wegovy Pill ³ (semaglutide 25mg). These figures come from different trials in different populations and aren’t a direct comparison, but they do suggest that switching from the Wegovy pen to Wegovy Pill may mean slower progress or less total weight loss for some people. If the Wegovy pen is working well for you, it’s worth keeping this in mind before deciding to switch.

However, there may be other reasons to consider Wegovy Pill. For example, if you find injections difficult, travel often, or have experienced injection site reactions. The differences between the two treatments are:

• How you take it: The Wegovy Pill is a daily tablet. The Wegovy pen is a weekly injection.
• Storage: Wegovy tablets are stored at room temperature. Wegovy pens need to be kept in the fridge before use.
• Administration: Wegovy tablets must be taken on an empty stomach with specific timing each morning. The Wegovy pen has no food or timing restrictions.

Wegovy Pill does not reduce the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive pill. Clinical studies found commonly used oral contraceptives containing ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel were still effective when taken with semaglutide.

Wegovy Pill should not be used during pregnancy, so women who could become pregnant should use effective contraception while taking Wegovy Pill.

If you experience vomiting or severe diarrhoea, this may affect how well your oral contraceptive pill is absorbed. Follow the advice provided with your contraceptive pill and speak to your GP, pharmacist or call 111 if you are unsure what to do.